Low-carbohydrate and low-fat diets have been shown to be healthy choices for weight loss and heart protection in short-term clinical trials.
The impact of these diets on mortality in middle-aged and older adults is now the subject of a study that was published in the Journal of Internal Medicine.
Over a median follow-up of 23.5 years, 165,698 deaths occurred in the study of 371,159 people 50 to 71 years old.
A healthy LFD was associated with a decreased risk of death from all causes, cardiovascular disease, and cancer. This LFD was defined as having a low intake of saturated fat and a high intake of plant protein and high-quality carbohydrates.
On the other hand, an unhealthy LCD and an overall LCD were linked to significantly higher rates of total, cardiovascular, and cancer mortality. A healthy LCD was linked to slightly lower
“Our results support the importance of maintaining a healthy LFD with less saturated fat in preventing all-cause and cause-specific mortality among middle-aged and older people,” the authors wrote.
